Top 10 TV Series That Killed the Most Main Characters

Given that it centers on Prohibition era Atlantic City, “Boardwalk Empire” is set during the USA’s big crime boom. Crime means gangsters, and gangsters mean people get whacked - a lot! No less than 35 key characters sleep with the fishes, so to speak, across the show’s five seasons. Characters are gunned down in the street, strangled, jump out of windows, and all manner of sudden ends. Protagonist Nucky Thompson is certainly responsible for his fair share, whether directly or indirectly, though in the finale, even he meets a violent fate.

Spy thrillers tend to feature pretty high body counts, and “Homeland” is no exception. With most of its storylines focusing on counterterrorism, both success and failure by the protagonists usually result in violence or death. No less than 38 important players are killed off during the show’s events. Terrorist attacks, shootings, executions - characters are rarely safe in “Homeland.” Even lead characters like Nicholas Brody, get killed off fairly early into the show’s run. “Homeland” keeps you on your toes, which helps make it one of the best spy series in recent memory.

Set during a time of upheaval in the British Isles, “The Last Kingdom” follows Uhtred, a Saxon raised among Danish Vikings. Often torn between loyalties, Uhtred becomes involved in the power struggles between both sides of his heritage and is central to the formation of a united England. He also has some truly abysmal luck, as he loses almost everyone close to him during the show, with the number of major deaths exceeding 40. Additionally, given the huge number of battles, betrayals, and even rampant disease, deaths are as common as Uhtred calling himself “Uhtred, son of Uhtred.” And that happens every episode! Suppose that’s destiny for you.

It’s a vampire show with a Southern-fried twist, and blood is kind of right there in the title. Vamps kill humans for their blood. Humans stake vamps. All manner of supernatural creatures kill or die in various ways too. Grudges, jealousy, and just plain hunger motivate them all. An excess of 40 major characters meet permanent ends during “True Blood.” But, few, if any of them, go quietly! Some of the ways they die are shockingly violent, sometimes to an absurd or comedic degree. So much for Southern hospitality!

Yeah, it was only a matter of time with this one. Death is literally in the name. This hit post-apocalyptic zombie show is absolutely brutal with how frequently it kills off its characters. It’s another series with 40-plus prominent characters that die. Although, if we could count zombies, er, walkers, this number would probably be much, much higher. They are already dead though. Regardless, in addition to death by the ever-present walking dead, the various survivors also kill each other over territory, for revenge, or because they’re just sadistic jerks - looking at you Negan! By the show’s end, only a scant few characters from the original cast remain alive!

Baltimore can be a rough town. “The Wire” explores many aspects of how crime can affect the city and the people living there. To that end, the streets of Baltimore are mean indeed, as the show kills off upwards of 40 or so major or recurring characters. Criminal kingpins once considered invincible meet violent ends. Underdog heroes go out unexpectedly. The war between the police and criminals has people caught in the crossfire too. “The Wire” always has us on the edge of our seats wondering who will die next.

This mystery show may begin with dozens of survivors of a plane crash on a mysterious island, but not all of them, well, survive. Between the island’s inhabitants (human or… otherwise), each other, the dangerous environment, and a surprising number of explosions, staying alive in this tropical paradise proves rather difficult. If you want to get technical, none of the main characters make it out of the series alive, but we won’t go into the finale. No less than 44 prominent characters lose their lives in “Lost.” But that’s fine - they’ll see each other in another life.

We mean… it’s about Vikings! Of course people die! Primarily detailing the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and his family, as well as his enemies, this series is an absolute bloodbath! Hardly anyone makes it through alive. Upwards of 70 or more primary and secondary characters get killed. The series features some of the most brutal and visceral deaths ever put on TV too! Just look up “blood eagle” - not while you’re eating though. In battle, by treachery, or by bee sting (no, really), literally no one is safe in “Vikings.” Even Ragnar himself is executed - and there’s still plenty of show after he’s gone!

Prison can be a violent environment in real life, but in the brutal confines of the experimental unit depicted in “Oz,” the mortality rate is shockingly high! Emerald City is supposed to help rehabilitate inmates and avoid conflict, but its various factions are always at each other’s throats, sometimes literally. Murders and revenge killings between the various gangs are common, but personal vendettas are rife throughout the show as well. Plenty of main characters meet their ends - even the narrator character! That’s just cheating! Over 100 prominent characters are killed in some fashion during the inmates' time in “Oz.” How they kept the place open continues to baffle us.

Oh, you sweet Summer children - please tell us you’re not surprised! The epic fantasy show not only treats its supporting and recurring characters as disposable, but its main cast dies with infamous regularity. Before “Game of Thrones” ends, the series kills off over 100 major characters, and in some truly gruesome ways. Molten gold, beheadings, poison, dragons… this series goes for broke with how terrible its characters kill one another. From its first to its last episode, we’re kept on our toes wondering if each character will survive to see another Winter. “Game of Thrones” has practically become a byword for killing off characters!